Kendrick Meek Denies Clinton Urged To Him Withdraw

Rep. Kendrick Meek said it was “absolutely not true” that he ever agreed to any kind of deal with former President Bill Clinton to drop out of the Florida Senate race, in an interview shortly before 9 p.m. ET Thursday with CNN contributor Roland S. Martin.

“The president came down to do an event for me in Orlando and St. Petersburg. We talk politics all the time. He said I heard this thing about you getting out. I said, ‘I’m not getting out.’ I said Charlie Crist needs to get out of the race. And that was that,” Meek said.

“The whole thing about a chartered plane is untrue. The whole thing about a rally planned is untrue. This whole thing, I don’t know where it came from. I know the discussions I had with the president wasn’t about some sort of wrapped deal with me getting out of the race. I’m not getting out the race,” Crist said.

When asked whether it was true that he confirmed twice to Clinton that he would get out, Meek said: “Not true. Absolutely not true. That’s just where it is. That’s not the case.”